December 18, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Most cases of repeated-trauma disorder are in manufacturing

In 2001, there were 216,400 newly reported occupational illness cases in private industry that were classified as disorders associated with repeated trauma.

Number of nonfatal occupational illnesses by industry, total and cases of disorders associated with repeated trauma, 2001
[Chart data—TXT]

Of those repeated trauma cases, 141,000 (65 percent) occurred in manufacturing. The services industry had the second highest number of repeated trauma cases in 2001, at 30,600 (14 percent). 

Disorders associated with repeated trauma include carpal tunnel syndrome and noise-induced hearing loss.

The BLS Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities Program produced these data. Find more information on occupational injuries and illnesses in 2001 in "Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2001," news release USDL 02-687.

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